Ho, June 11, GNA - Labour in Ho under the aegis of the District Coun cil of Labour (DCL), has threatened strike if government fails to reduce the recent hikes in water and electricity tariffs. "This street action is the only language government understands. The

percentage increases are too high for workers to bear." Ms Vivian Abla Adoboe-Tefe of the Communications Workers Union (CWU) said at the DCL's meeting on Thursday.

The electricity and water tariffs had gone up by 89 and 36 percent respectively. Mr Maxwel Akoto-Mireku, briefing the well-attended emergency meeting

said the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) had slammed the increases as too high and was seeking support from the base unions to tackle government on

the issue. He said Labour thinks the Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC ) did not consult enough and that the reasons of recapitalization and meeti ng cost of production were flawed and not defensible.

Mr Akoto-Mireku said government in accepting the increases and going on to justify them was not being responsive to the welfare needs of the peop le. Mr Gordon Bodza, Industrial Relations Officer of the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) in the Region said government could have devised mea ns of shoring up the utility companies rather than passing all the cost to t he people. He said it was pity for workers to be slapped with these increases w hen their salaries remained static.

Emmanuel Baidoo of the Ghana Statistical Service said the zero to 50

units electric consumption lifeline, did not actually benefit the poor because most poor Ghanaians live in compound houses sharing meters that exceed the consumption limit. A resolution signed by DCL Chairman Bright Agyei-Acheampong and Maxw ell Akoto-Mireku, Secretary GTUC, said it feared the tariffs could result in layoffs and also expressed apprehension about recent increases in road to lls and insurance premiums. It said DCL reject the increases and call for a downward review of t he rates. It gave PURC up to the end of next week to review the rates. The resolution said "if government of Ghana cannot uphold our intere st we will do so on our own".